A house RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR COACH BOO MAJOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA FOR HER OUTSTANDING CAREER AS BOTH EQUESTRIAN COACH AND EDUCATOR, TO CONGRATULATE HER ON THE OCCASION OF HER RECENT RETIREMENT, AND TO WISH HER MUCH SUCCESS IN ALL HER FUTURE ENDEAVORS.

Whereas, it is with great pleasure that the South Carolina House of Representatives honors those individuals who give tirelessly of themselves to educate the young people of this great State. Prominent in the roll call of such benefactors to our youth is Boo Major, the University of South Carolina's (USC's) recently retired head equestrian coach; and

Whereas, tied for fourth-longest tenure as a head coach in Gamecock history, Boo Major officially retired in April 2024 after an illustrious twenty-six-year career at USC; and

Whereas, Boo, who has received state, regional, and national recognition as a premier equestrian instructor for over thirty years, has taught riders throughout the Southeast and has successfully competed at the national level over the past three decades. She enjoyed the pleasure of seeing the University of South Carolina become the first major Division I school in the nation to add equestrian sports to its list of varsity sports; and

Whereas, in preparation for her career, Boo earned her bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of South Carolina. She has taught at a number of riding facilities across the State and coached many riders to regional and national honors. She is also a technical delegate and "r" eventing judge with the United States Equestrian Federation, as well as a member of the American Quarter Horse Association, USEF, United States Hunter Jumper Association, United States Eventing Association, and the South Carolina Coaches Association; and

Whereas, specifically, over the course of her career Boo coached over 300 letter winners, 30 riders named National Collegiate Equestrian Association All-Americans a combined 53 times, 30 SEC All-Team selections, five SEC Riders of the Year, and an NCEA Rider of the Year in 2020; and

Whereas, during her tenure, she led South Carolina to three NCEA Overall Championships (2005, 2007, 2015), three consecutive NCEA Hunter Seat National Championships (2005, 2006, 2007), one Southern Equestrian Championship (2012), and two SEC Championships (2013, 2014); and

Whereas, she has not gone unrecognized. Boo Major is a two-time SEC Coach of the Year and was named National Coach of the Year by the NCEA in 2014 and 2015. On March 29, 2014, she became the first University of South Carolina head coach to win back-to-back SEC championships, and just a year later she became the first USC coach to win three national championships. Further, in 2014 she was recognized by the University of South Carolina's College of Mass Communications and Information Sciences as one of its two Distinguished Alumni Award winners; and

Whereas, away from USC, this Columbia native owns and operates a small breeding farm in Blythewood. An avid fox hunter, she also has dogs, cats, birds, and fish as pets; and

Whereas, grateful for Boo Major's legacy of consistent commitment and excellence, the South Carolina House of Representatives takes great pleasure in wishing her well as she transitions to a well-deserved retirement. The members trust she will find much enjoyment in the more leisurely pace of the days ahead. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Coach Boo Major of the University of South Carolina for her outstanding career as both equestrian coach and educator, congratulate her on the occasion of her recent retirement, and wish her much success in all her future endeavors.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Boo Major.

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